Rewarding Bad Behavior: Gift Cards for Crooks
I hope all the morons who voted for Mayor de Blasio are happy now that he’s giving $15 Dunkin’ Donut gift cards to suspected criminals who fill out a survey on their experience in court (“Crime Pays,” Dec. 11).
To add insult to injury, the surveys ask if the temperature was comfortable and if court staff and judges thanked them for their patience.
Seriously? These people are accused of committing a crime, which is why they’re in court in the first place.
Maybe de Blasio should have offered the city’s police officers the $15 gift cards for arresting the suspects. Linda Calabrese Brooklyn
It’s debatable that an appearance in court for minor offenses should become a “happy” experience. This could reduce some of the anxiety that discourages people from committing minor offenses.
Rewarding defendants charged with minor offenses who participate in a questionnaire rating the “courtesy of judges and prosecutors” is counterproductive.
Members of the NYPD rightly voiced opposition to this questionable practice.
The experience of being charged and asppearing in court may discourage repetitions and, ironically, possibly reduce the inmate population at Rikers. John Gargiulo Whitestone
The city is giving out Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards to those who agree to take a survey after being arrested. Who came up with this genius idea?
One of the questions asks whether “signs were written in a respectful way.”
What’s next: Did the judge ask permission to sentence you? Did the court officer hold your hand on the way in? It’s comical. Larry Lombardo Lynbrook
Let me get this straight: If I got locked up in New York City, went to court and filled out a survey, I would be given a $15 gift card?
Seriously, has this mayor gone completely insane? He’s rewarding the wrong people.
What about the victims? What about the police officers, court officers and prosecutors?
And wasn’t it a Dunkin’ Donuts worker in Brooklyn who recently refused to serve a couple of police officers? Crazy. Raymond Muise Palmer, Mass.
What’s next — “safe spaces” in the court house? Therapy dogs for suspects? Welcome to progressive justice. Robert Mangi Westbury
THE ISSUE: The city’s practice of giving Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards to defendants who participate in court surveys.